Converting track-only continuation classics such as the latter-day Aston Martin DB4 GT is proving good business for the Swiss firm R-Reforged, whose conversions at its facility in Warwick have in the past got the thumbs up from Aston Martin itself. R-Reforged is part of the AF Racing Group that worked with Aston on the Valkyrie.
The last time we heard of R-Reforged was in April when it announced its take on the Aston/Zagato anniversary special-edition theme: rebodied previous-generation Vantage V12s with new Zagato-designed speedster and coupe bodies, and licensed by Aston Martin.
Now it is branching out into the world of IVA – Individual Vehicle Approval compliance, without which your continuation classic is not street legal. Already R-Reforged claims to have made seven of the 19 DB4 GT Continuation cars Aston has made road legal, in what it says is a fully reversible operation that incorporates more than 60 changes and takes 10 weeks.
As R-Reforged says, there’s more to the conversion than bolting on a set of number plates. Changes include different wheel nuts, road tyres, a padded steering wheel, E-marked glass, side repeaters, wing mirrors and retractable rear fog lamp, fitting an immobiliser and removing front fog lights for pedestrian safety reasons. A new integrated silencer and catalyst exhaust ensures the cars meet EU emissions standards, claims the firm.